U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,459 discloses a local area network connector specifically for use in the data communications industry. These connectors can be employed in a closed loop data communications link in which various equipment such as computer terminals can be interconnected in a system. These connectors are specifically adapted for use in interconnecting numerous micro or mini computers in a micro computer network in an office environment. Connectors of this type have standard interface dimensions and configurations. These connectors must also be shielded to prevent the spurious electrical signals and noise from affecting the signals in the network. These connectors also require a shunting capability since the conductors are part of a network and can be connected in series with other similar connectors. This shunting capability is necessary to prevent disruption of a network when an individual plug is not connected to external equipment.
The structure and components of local area network connectors of this type is represented by the structure of the connectors shown in the before mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,459. These connectors include a plurality of spring metal terminals having insulation displacement wire barrels for establishing electrical connection with the individual conductors forming the multi-conductor shielded cable. Terminals are positioned on a support housing and upper and lower shields can be positioned in surrounding relationship to the terminals and the support housing. Shield members are permanently attached to upper and lower cover members and the cover members are mated to both encapsulate the conductor and to cover the upper and lower shields to the cable shielding.
The above mentioned conventional shielded electrical connectors provide for shielding around the connector, to prevent adverse interference from exterior to the connector to signals being conducted within the connector. Such connectors have been widely used. Conventional connectors, however, do not address the possibility of signal cross-talk proximate the termination of each conductor, when the twisted pairs are no longer intertwined. Accordingly, while conventional connectors guard against signal interference from outside the connector, they do not include provisions for controlling cross-talk between signal conductors inside the connector.
In the conventional connector systems, four positions are established by four electrical terminals having wire connecting sections interconnected to the mating contact portions. Generally, two twisted pairs of conductors are interconnected to the terminals at the wire connecting sections, by untwisting the pairs for a short distance at their ends. As is well known, the twisting of the pairs eliminates cross talk between the signal pairs due to the inductance balance, thus, untwisting for a short distance eliminates the cross talk compensation provided by the twisting. The untwisting causes no problems at low frequency signals, but could cause interference between the pairs at higher frequencies.